Don't give feedback to sellers until they give it to you.......

[wlkngdshbg]

Time and time again, I buy something on Ebay, I pay immediately with PayPal, and the seller does not give me any feedback until after I leave it for him first.

This is agains Ebay policy I am almost sure. A bit ago Ebay changed policy so sellers could not leave "retalitory" feedback, that is giving a buyer bad feedback who paid quickly, just because they gave well-deserved bad feedback for a good reason.

This ruined the feedback system for ebay, making it useless.

Now, apparently most sellers simply hold off on giving feedback as long as possible. Are they hoping the buyer gets tired of waiting? Are they hoping the buyer simply slips up and leaves it before they are supposed to?

Whatever the reason, there is no GOOD one for not leaving positive feedback for a buyer that pays lightning fast with PayPal. The buyers job is done at that point, and done very well.

Then it is up to the SELLER to pack the item well, ship it promptly, and have the item be as described in the auction.

If the seller screws up or sells something that is not as advertised, then they damn well deserve bad feedback so that the next buyer can be informed of the bad apple.

So in a nutshell, if you are a buyer on ebay, lets start holding that feedback back until the seller does what they are supposed to for a prompt-paying customer. And if they do not leave feedback, lets report them to Ebay so the feedback system is not compromised as it once was, and so buyers can be properly informed of a sellers performance when they are shopping.

Thanks

[headlights_and_body_parts_outlet]

The buyers job is not done when he pays for his item. It's done when the buyer receives the items and inspects it to make sure it's in order. Feedback is the last action seller and buyer has to do and the buyer have to leave the feedback first to inform the seller that the item arrived and everything is good.

[awesomestoresuk]

I used to think sellers should leave feedback first and a surprising number do, but now I never do until I receive feedback first.

When someone claims not to have received an item (rarely happens - always an overseas order) I leave feedback along the lines of "Sorry you didn't receive the first shipment..." so that others may see it if it's a fraudster.

Talking of fraudsters - Ebay's favourite customers - I reported a new customer via 'chat' and on the official report page (I won't bore you with all the details, but first he was registered in Norway and wanted the item sent to the Lebanon (it was a UK-only listing) then he opens another a/c claiming to be based in the UK wanting it sent to London), but on chat I was informed that he probably was a fraudster. I cancelled his second PayPal payment (like the 1st) then a couple of days later received an email from ebay saying that the buyer refused cancellation (just registered; no feedback other than mine in which I said he is possibly a fraudster), but ebay say they will not refund my FVF and that I must send the £43 item.

No chance. I will take legal action to get the £4 of fees back if I have to and contact Trading Standards and the police about Ebay aiding and abetting reported suspected fraudsters.

I really believe that Ebay cares more about criminals than honest, long-time sellers (11 years in my case) because they get up to 11% Ebay commission plus 3.4% PayPal commission (plus 20p) regardless.

They believe that sellers have no choice which is why they always side with the buyer. Well, they are wrong with me. I WILL be closing my shop any day when the right time arrives.

Their 'customer service' is a nightmare. The whole thing stinks and I've had enough of it.

[coltonrileysmom]

The seller should leave feedback first! If someone pays you money for an item-you thank them first by leaving them feedback. Sellers should not hold back feedback when they have received payment. It is rude.

[papi1846]

Feedback system is setup primarily to protect the buyer.
The buyers obligation is completed with payment and should then receive positive feedback FIRST. 
The customer is always right (even when they're not! ) Online retailers have to deal with this, just as bricks and mortar retailers always have. 
If the buyer leaves negative feedback (for whatever reason) the seller is able to respond to this feedback, for all to see.

[ukhaberdashery]

The customer is always right (even when they're not! )

Sums ebay up....... if it wasnt for fact that us sellers are Ebays customers so we must be right and ebay wrong which is actuall correct. Paradox

[anonymoose99]

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@papi1846 wrote:

The buyers obligation is completed with payment

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Try selling for a while and see if you still believe that nonsense. A buyer can screw you in lots of ways after they've paid.

[hellraiser1325]

Best post on this and the fairest! Most honest buyers want the item with the description they paid for. If they receive it quickly and in good packaging, they will leave positive feedback for the seller. The Seller should then return the favor...now the EBAY community knows both had a good experience with selling and buying.

[ninjificus]

you guys saying this are crazy....all that leads to is if you have to open a case or complaint for the item the seller will then leave you bad feedback when it isn't your fault and the fault lies with them.  I never leave feedback for any seller who has NOT already left me feedback even when I get the item.  I did my part in paying for it and trusting them to get it to me.

[ninjificus]

I agree with you 100%

[everestonlinemarket]

101% correct !!!    

[three_pandas]

This is correct.

[yupperdedoo]

As a buyer and a seller, I disagree that the seller should leave feedback first.  

There are some real jerks out there and I'd hate to leave them with a positive feedback if they then ended up filing some bogus claim and swindled me out of money, an item and then a feedback on top of that. 

Hardly anyone cares or even looks at a buyer's feedback either since sellers aren't allowed to leave negatives or neutrals and others can't truly see what that person is like to deal with. As long as you have one or two, sellers don't care about your feedback.

Feedback is something that is important for a seller, while useless to a buyer.

I never thought of it as holding feedback hostage either. It always feels like we take turns doing our part in the transaction.

They pay fast, while I ship their item the next (or same) day.

They leave feedback and I leave them feedback in return.

Seeing a buyer's feedback lets me know the deal is finally done, they got their item and they're happy with its condition, packaging and speed. The feedback for a buyer means nothing since no one cares if you're fast at paying.

[jquinnn70]

There are two ways of looking at who should leave feedbck first, from a moral point of view or from a business point of view. If you want to argue morals, good luck! Perhaps you should be a philosopher instead of a seller.

However, if you are a seller who wants your ratings to be as high as possible, leave the buyer positive feedback immediately when the buyer pays. When you ship, send the buyer a message stating that you've shipped, you appreciate the order, and you have left positive feedback. That makes it more likely that the buyer will respond by leaving positive feedback for you.

On the other hand, if you wait for the buyer to leave feedback, you may never receive it. A disastisfied buyer will almost always leave negative feedback, but a satisifed buyer who notices that the seller hasn't bothered to leave feedback is likely to not bother to leave feedback either, and the seller will have missed a chance improve her or his feedback score.

[downtimeguy]

Being a longtime buyer and sometimes seller, it's dissapointing how many sellers are not proactive with leaving feedback first.  Several have refused even after I send a message to let them know the item arrived in good order.  Regardless of which role I happen to be in, I'll never forget that a seller is being paid money to perform a service and that is the primary reward.  Posting feedback first is nothing more than an invitation for the buyer to leave return feedback and possibly become a return customer.  It never feels pleasant, but encountering unreliable or unreasonable buyers will always be part of the nature of doing business on an impersonal online marketplace.   Online sales can never adhere to same rules of fairness and politeness as face-to-face interaction.

BOTTOM LINE:  If sellers want the extra reward of getting feedback, then sellers have to accept the risk first.

[around-the-block]

"

On the other hand, if you wait for the buyer to leave feedback, you may never receive it. A disastisfied buyer will almost always leave negative feedback, but a satisifed buyer who notices that the seller hasn't bothered to leave feedback is likely to not bother to leave feedback either, and the seller will have missed a chance improve her or his feedback score."

Exactly, I will never leave a positive feedback for a seller who doesn't leave one for me, but if the seller does I will always leave one. It's that simple. Feedback is more important to you sellers so I highly suggest you suck up your pride and send some dang feedback. I would say that only about 20% of all the things I have bought the seller has left any feedback. That is literally hundreds of positive feedback points sellers have missed out on from me over the years. I guess sellers aren't interested in getting higher feedback score, I don't know.